Easing the Pain
by T.J.Grei
Summary: A month after the book and a new girl comes to Tulsa. Pony befriends her and finds out her talent of singing, and what happens when Pony thinks he's found his? A story written by SodaoutsidersPop and TwoBitty. More info in the first chapter. Off hiatus
1. Meghan

SodaoutsidersPop(Sammy) and I have decided(through many PM's and IM's) that we are going to write a story combining talents of both of us!

Main Idea: Meghan and her father move to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Meghan is a young girl who enjoys singing, writing songs, and playing the guitar and piano. Ponyboy is sitll woked up over the deaths of Johnny and Dallas. But he'll meet a new friend and discover a talent he never knew he had. (One month after the deaths of Johnny and Dally. POny published the book, The Outsiders)

Okay, the main idea of the story was decided by Sammy. I decided who gets to write in who's POV which ended up having Sam write for Meghan and me writing for Pony. So you'll know who wrote what. Since she's working hard on many storied, we've decided as a team to put the story on my account. So, the glory goes to Sammy for the first chapter.

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Disclaimer: The Outsiders belongs to S.E. Hinton and Sweet Tennessee belongs to Sammy (SodaoutsidersPop)

(Meghan's POV)

This was unfair. This was totally unfair. I watched my friends walk by to their houses out my living room window. I'd never see them again. They came by to wish me luck in Tulsa, but why, it wouldn't do any good. Tennessee is my life and I still had no idea why we were moving. I mean, my parents got a divorce and I'm living with my dad, but mom moved out. So I don't see why we have to move. If I did, I'd never see mom again, or a long time. Is that why? Just so that dad could have me to himself.

I was too angry to think. I felt like singing. I loved to sing either on piano or my guitar. Dad was suppose to be home in a few minutes, and I settled on guitar.

I ran upstairs to my room and got out my guitar. That was the only thing I hadn't packed yet, just in case. I didn't feel like singing one of my old songs, so I settled on a tune and singing to it. I wanted to sing a song that described how much Tennessee meant to me, so I took the pick, started playing and sung.

"_You'll always be in my heart. We were a work of art. You'll always be in my mind. We weren't very hard to find. You'll always end up in my dreams. You'll always be the first I talk about with a friend. We might find each other again, but I doesn't seem, like that will happen in this route I'm taking to our end."_

I quickly jotted all those words down on a sheet of paper. I played the same tune and sung it again, but this time continued.

"_What happened to us? I have to go. Why did this happen? I don't want to go. I remember the first day we met. It wasn't by force or some kind of bet. I loved you ever since then. I remember the first laugh we had. I wasn't sure at first, but now you're not so bad. All of this right now is making me mad. I don't want to leave you, why can't they see…I'm gonna miss you sweet Tennessee."_

I wrote that and started thinking if it sounded good. I thought it did, so I went on for a second verse.

"_Remember when we went to our first rodeo? I just wish I wasn't doing this as a solo. Don't you forget about the first lick of ice cream. This new thing definitely ain't part of my dream. Please don't forget the way your sunshine made me smile in the morning. They never even sent us a warning. Please always remember the way your moon made me want to stay up all night with you. Now that I'd have to leave my family and you too. What does this new place have to offer? Its smile can't be much softer. What will it have that you never gave me here? I'll never hear your sweet voice in my ear. What happened to us? I have to go. Why did this happen? I don't want to go."_

I decided to do a 2 part chorus, so I went ahead and sang a different thing.

"_I remember the first time we said hello to each other. Not even for a second did you ever seem to be a bother. Not the hot weather or chilly nights. I remember when you comforted me when I cried. Bawling like my best friend had just died. You always found me even when I tried to hide. I don't want to leave you, why can't they see…I'm gonna miss you sweet Tennessee."_

It sounded better and better. But I wanted more to it. Dad still ain't home, so I was going to try and add more and write before he gets here.

"_I remember the last day we spent. It just came by and then it went. I remember the last laugh we had. What if this new place is real bad? I remember our last goodbye. I swear right now I might just die. I remember the last hug we shared. I can tell my parents haven't really cared. I don't want to leave you, why can't they see…I'm gonna miss you sweet Tennessee. I remember the first day we met. It wasn't by force or some kind of bet. I loved you ever since then. I remember the first laugh we had. I wasn't sure at first, but now you're not so bad. All of this right now is making me mad. I don't want to leave you, why can't they see…I'm gonna miss you sweet Tennessee. I remember the first time we said hello to each other. Not even for a second did you ever seem to be a bother. Not the hot weather or chilly nights. I remember when you comforted me when I cried. Bawling like my best friend had just died. You always found me even when I tried to hide. I don't want to leave you, why can't they see…I'm gonna miss you sweet Tennessee."_

I heard the garage door open, so I quickly played the guitar and added an ending.

"_I don't want to leave you…oh I don't want to leave you can't they see. Why can't they see? Why aren't they seeing? What is it about me they aren't seeing? They must somehow see…I don't want to leave you me sweet Tennessee. I don't want to leave you. I have to leave you. Why is life so hard on me? Why can't they see…I'm gonna miss you sweet Tennessee."_

"Meghan! Time to hit the road!" I heard my dad call downstairs. I packed the guitar and my new song and followed him out the car. "Just hold on a sec sweetie," dad said shutting his car door.

"I'm gonna miss you sweet Tennessee," I sang before he came back. "Sweet Tennessee." And that was just what I was going to call the song.

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Please review! 


	2. Ponyboy

My turn at a chapter. Pony's POV. Pony and Steve are doing better, gettin' along. Soda and Sandy are broken up and Soda is all depressed. Two-Bit is suspended, and Darry is his normal self, cept he and Pony are doing better too. All is swell!

I do not own the Outsiders, Nor does Sammy.

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**Pony POV**

It's a school day, Monday, and Darry and Soda are already awake. Of course, I was long awake before them. It's a habit from Windrixville. But I didn't really get out of bed. I was still curled up under the covers and waiting for Darry or Soda to some by and drag me out by my ankles. But no one did, so I laid there, thinking about what happened only a month ago. Johnny killed a Soc, we ran to the abandoned church, the rumble went on, Johnny died, and later, Dally died too. It was all too much for me in one day. But my report turned into the book, The Outsiders. It sold so many copies, I lost count.

Yawning, I turned on my other side and closed my eyes. But then I heard the door open and the bed sink behind me. There were a pair of large hands on my arm before the person laid down too. I thought of Darry at first, until of course, the voice.

"Pony..." Steve called in an eery voice. I jumped because I thought it was Darry. He sat up and grinned wickedly at me. Lately, after Soda made Steve read the book, we've gotten a lot closer. He's like yet another brother. Like I need a fourth one, but I really don't mind.

"Damn, Steve!" I yelped, knocking a fist on his chest. He wore his usual school clothes; a green tee and a pair of oil stained jeans. He continued to grin at me.

"Soda informed me to wake up the little one. He's stuffing his face right now," he said, jumping off of the bed and jerking the covers from on top of me. "Nice outfit kid," he said with a smile. I had fallen asleep in my boxers. That's it. "Darry said out in five, and I took up three."

"Thanks a lot, Steve!" I yelped, throwing a pillow at him. He dodged, picked it up, and threw it back.

"Hurry up, kid, cause if you don't, Darry'll eat me," he called as he shut the door, leaving me alone. I chuckled, got up, and rubbed my hair down. It was always on ends. Frantically, I searched for a pair of jeans and a clean shirt. I found the jeans and slid them on. As I was on one foot, the door slammed open once more, causing me to fall backwards onto the floor. I looked up to find Two-Bit rushing to me.

"What ever happened, I didn't do it!" he cried, pulling me to my feet. I rolled my eyes. Two-Bit never changed, never. It was normal for him. I buttoned my jeans and zipped them up before grabbing my shirt.

"Don't do that, Two-Bit!" I yelled at him, causing his comical grin to form on his lips.

"I didn't mean to! Darry said breakfast or he's giving it to Steve." My eyes grew.

"STEVE!" I yelled, pushing Two-Bit out of the way, "DON'T YOU DARE EAT MY BREAKFAST!" I ran into the kitchen, bumping into a big black object. I found it was Darry.

"Hey sleepy," he said, wrapping an arm around me in a soft hug. After the book, me and Darry got real close, and I was glad. He shoved a plate in my hands. I joined Soda on the couch and began eating. This happened about every morning. Two-Bit came back, throwing me the shirt I dropped in an attempt to beat Steve to my food.

"Thanks," I said between bites, "Hey, can I get a ride, Two-Bit?"

"Sorry, kid, suspended for glueing the principals door shut. The fat bastard got stuck in the window, trying to get out!" he jeered. There was a small smile on Soda's face. Two-Bit went on, "They didn't catch me until they noticed I was the only kid out of lunch at the time. No one was there..." and he wiggled his fingers for effect, "Besides, it's dead..." Darry came out with a plate piled high for Two-Bit. Steve, with food around his mouth, came out and sat in the reading chair Darry always sat in. Then I remembered, Steve has a car!

"Steve, can I get a ride to school?" I asked. His face stayed the same, so I stuck out my bottom lip. He laughed, shaking his head.

"Sure kid," he said, "Don't see why not."

"Thanks." I gave the plate to Darry and headed for the bathroom to grease and comb my hair. I grabbed the hair grease tub and ran my fingers in it, then pushed my hair back with it. My hair was still a little blonde from when Johnny and I ran to Windrixville. But some red was showing around the crown. I was thinking of dying it back to blonde, to remember Johnny and Dallas. But that's for another day. I combed my newly greased hair in place and walked out. I looked over at Soda, who looked deep in thought again. He was all weird after Sandy left for Florida. And I was sorry too. He loved Sandy too much to let her go. But he had to. He got up and headed for the kitchen. As he passed me, I leaned on Soda's shoulder, making him look down at me.

"See you after work, Pone," he said. He looked really tired. I gave him a quick hug and smiled.

"Alright, see you after work," I said, sliding into my shoes and pulling on a coat. Steve got up and put his coat on too. "Bye Darry! Bye Two-Bit!"

"Bye Pone!" both yelled. Steve and I went out to his car. He slid in the passenger seat, making me eye him oddly.

"How bout you drive. You're learnin', right?" he asked. I smiled and slid in.

"You're taking quite a chance with your baby, Steve."

"The sooner you have a licence, sooner you have a car, sooner I don't drive you anywhere," he said, grinning.

"Gee, thanks!"

"Anytime, kid."


	3. Moving In

A/N: WOW! This took awhile to update, my (Sammy) fault! Now I'm typing again! WOOT! So I apologize to y'all for the long hiatus and to Ace I have to thank him for being so, so, so, so, so, so patient! Enough chatter, here we go…

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(Meghan's POV)

I walked out of the car and brought the last of my luggage inside. My dad told me I could pick any bedroom, besides the one that was obviously one for him and…mom if she was alive. There were 3 other bedrooms and I picked the one farthest from my dad. I started unpacking when my dad called out to me there was one more box and he wanted me to get it. "Alright!" I yelled coming downstairs and out to the car.

"I can't believe this!" someone yelled. I turned and saw a tall black-haired guy looking at a damage on his car. The headlight was broken and beneath it the car was dented in. "Steve, I'm sorry I didn't mean it," a 14 or 15 year old boy said looking a little scared of the older boy, Steve I guess. Steve took a deep breath, probably before he punched the kid. "Ok, forget it, the Socs fault anyway. They had to fricken try and pull something with a kid driving!" Steve yelled. Socs? What were those? Or they? "I'm sorry Steve, I really…"

"Pony, just forget it, it ain't your fault," he said going inside still looking upset. The younger one, Pony? Um, he was just looking at the damage too. "Looks pretty bad," I said over the fence. I put the box down and went to the fence and Pony turned around. "Yeah it does, did you hear everything?" he asked.

"Yeah I did, your friend must love that car."

"It's his baby."

"Noticed, you got a name? I have one."

"Ponyboy Curtis, yours?"

"Meghan."

"New here?"

"Yep, just today. From Tennessee."

"Cool, why did you move here?"

"Not too sure exactly, well I don't want to talk about why we did, but part of it is my ma died."

"Oh I'm sorry; both of my parents are dead."

"Really? Wow, harsh of life, so do you live with that guy then?"

"No, he's one of my older brother's best friends. My oldest one is my guardian…for good now."

"For good now?"

"Well, we use to get watched by the court. They would come and see how Darry's doing."

"Darry? Your brother?"

"Yeah, so listen, I'll be happy to show you around town later or tomorrow."

"You mean just friends?"

"Well….well…yeah I mean you just moved here, dating right away would be too weird, especially for you."

"Yes it would be," I laughed a little. "Uh, tomorrow might be best."

"Ok, I'll come over tomorrow afternoon and see what happens."

"Alright, see ya then." I watched as he walked back inside. He was cute. Maybe hot was a good word. I carried the last box inside and saw my dad smiling. "What?"

"Already talking to boys?"

"Dad, he's a neighbor and wants to show me around town tomorrow, is that ok?"

"A date already?"

"NO! Dad, it's just as friends, not boy friend, friend!"

"Yeah that's what they all say."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, so can I?"

"I guess you can. I want to meet his parents first though."

"Oh, yeah, his parents are gone…dead."

"Oh," he muttered sadly.

"But he lives with his older brother, you can meet him right?"

"Yeah I suppose, we'll go tomorrow after dinner."

"Alright, thanks dad."

I ran upstairs happily. A friend already, a cute…no, hot one and we kind of share that death thing. He lost his parents though and I only lost my mom. Well, at least he only lost two people…I think. Yeah, probably, who would lose so many people? I sat on my bed thinking of everything we could do. Wait, why? We were just friends. Man, I was thinking too ahead of myself.


End file.
